Partners of law firm Heenan Blaikie LLP, a 91原创 legal powerhouse that for years has been a favourite place for retired prime ministers, premiers and cabinet ministers to spend their post-political days, announced Wednesday they would wind up the firm, sparking a legal shakeup that鈥檚 reached the 91原创.
Here on the West Coast, the decision will lead to the creation of at least one new firm, according to Geoff Plant, a partner at Heenan Blaikie鈥檚 91原创 office and a former attorney general of B.C.
鈥淚 can tell you about one,鈥� he told The Sun shortly after the national statement was released. 鈥淪ixteen lawyers from the 91原创 office will be announcing tomorrow the creation of a new firm called Gall, Legge, Grant and Munroe.鈥�
Founding partners Peter Gall, John Legge, Robert Grant and Craig Munroe will head the litigation and labour-focused firm, said Plant, who will be counsel along with Donald Munroe, Roy Heenan 鈥� a founding partner of Heenan Blaikie 鈥� and former Supreme Court of Canada judge Michel Bastarache.
鈥淥bviously what happened was pretty sad news for the national firm,鈥� said Plant.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not the story that we wanted, but if we are going to have to live in this world after Heenan Blaikie, I think the lawyers in 91原创 are all going to find opportunities here that will help make sure they continue to do good work for their clients.鈥�
Former Heenan Blakie partner Najeeb Hassan will join Roper Greyell LLP, according to a separate announcement Wednesday.
Plant said the firm has been working to make sure there鈥檚 no interruption in service to clients.
鈥淭his decision follows an in-depth analysis of the available restructuring options in the current context of Canada鈥檚 legal services market,鈥� the firm said in a statement. 鈥淎n orderly wind-up will make it possible to continue serving the Firm鈥檚 clients without interrupting or disrupting service and to ensure a harmonious transfer of their files to other law firms. It should be noted that several practice groups and even entire offices will continue to operate under new names.鈥�
The end of Heenan Blaikie seemed inevitable this week. Employees and support staff in the Montreal office, where Heenan, Donald Johnston and Peter Blaikie established the firm in 1973, were told to start packing up their things on Tuesday.
Senior lawyers from Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto left Heenan Blaikie in droves on Wednesday to take up positions with other firms.
A few weeks ago, firm management told partners that income per partner had dropped about 10 to 15 per cent. This sparked a 鈥渞un on the bank鈥� of legal talent, as more than 30 senior partners moved to other more profitable firms, taking their clients with them.
Those familiar with Heenan Blaikie鈥檚 financial situation insist the firm is far from broke. It just hasn鈥檛 been able to absorb the rapid rate of partner and client departures.
On Sunday, Heenan Blaikie had issued a statement that warned of an upcoming 鈥渕ajor restructuring.鈥�
Firm management has contacted other 91原创 law firms to ask if they might take on the articling students who were supposed to have started working at Heenan Blaikie later this year.
Reports say some partners in the Toronto and western 91原创 offices are trying to organize a deal to become the 91原创 office of a major international business law firm, possibly DLA Piper.
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